What You See Isn't Always What You Get
by Miakaghost
Summary: A new boy comes to Danny's school; a boy by the name of Terri Lander. But according to record, he died twenty years ago. What's going on? Changed to PG for a few slight cuss words. (Sorry, I resisted the urge to put in censors[Complete]
1. Terri Lander: A Mystery

What You See Isn't Always What You Get

Chap.1

Danny sighed as he saw the water tower falling, then went ghost and flew off. In the corner of his eyes, he saw a boy smiling at him. It was odd; the boy's smile was oddly unsettling. Danny slowly lifted the tower back to its regular position, and the boy was still there.

His hair was dark brown and he wore a white sweatshirt with a snowflake on it and jeans that were faded.

"Who are you?" Danny asked. The boy shook his head.

"Not yet, kid. Not yet. Tomorrow." Then, before Danny could blink, he was gone. He didn't fly, he did fade, he didn't walk, he simply….wasn't there.

"Danny, I'm sure it was nothing." Sam assured her friend the next day. They sat down and before long, the bell rang. "Besides, I bet you weren't all that wide awake then. It was kinda late then, right?"

"Maybe you're right, Sam. But I can't get that guy out of my head. It was like he wanted something from me."

"Class, we have a new student today." Mr. Lancer gestured to the boy standing next to him. He wore a white sweatshirt with a snowflake on it and faded jeans.

"Wasn't he wearing that yesterday?" Danny wondered. Sam shrugged.

"This is Terri Lander. He came all the way from…….odd. You don't have an address listed here."

"Oh, yeah. Well, my parents are still in a hotel. We're waiting to get our house." Terri laughed nervously.

"I see. Please take a seat next to Fenton, Lander."

"Of course, Mr. Lancer." Terri smiled and took his seat next to Danny. He pulled out pencils and Danny saw tire prints on the boy's side.

"Uh, Terri?"

"Yes, Danny?" Terri replied.

"Have you ever been…I dunno, run over?"

"Heavens, no! I'm deathly afraid of cars. Can't get anywhere near 'em, you know." Terri gave a smile, unsettling and mysterious.

"Look, Danny, he says he's afraid of cars. So what?" Tucker asked. Terri ran up to them.

"Hey, Danny. I heard about your house and your parents jobs and thought they were so cool. Mind if I come over?"

"Naw, Terri. It's okay."

"So, Danny, how's Maddie?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, how's your family? Your mom?" Terri corrected himself.

"Uh, fine, I guess." Danny stared at Terri and opened the door, then stepped in. Terri stood outside for a bit. "Come on in. It's not like the door's gonna bite you."

"Heh heh. How do I know that for sure?" Terri joked. Danny pulled the boy in.

"Ghost!" Maddie shouted, running in with a gun. She nearly dropped it when she saw Terri. "…It's really….it really is a ghost." She fainted.

"Sorry for all the ruckus." Danny apologized as Terri left.

"Naw, it's okay." Terri smiled and turned to go away. RING RING! Danny returned to the house and answered the phone.

"Danny, it's about Terri." Sam sounded scared.

"Yeah, he's a great guy."

"No. He does indeed go to Casper High but, Danny?"

"Yeah, Sam?"

"According to record, Terri Lander died twenty years ago."


	2. Maddie's Relation To Terri

What You See Isn't Always What You Get

Chap.2

"Danny, what a surprise." Terri laughed merrily as he saw Danny walking up to him. "Tell me, my boy, what's wrong?"

"Uh, I was just wondering….is it all right with your folks if I come over?" Danny asked. Terri paled.

"N-no. I'm sorry, Danny. You…you can't come over! You just can't!" He snapped.

"Terri, I was just-"

"You can't!" Terri bolted down a street, and around a corner.

"Great. I thought he'd do that. Goin' ghost!" Danny turned ghost and flew after the boy. He froze, and changed back when he saw where Terri had led him. "Here?"

It was a large mansion, with marble pillars and large gardens. A grand place, indeed. Or at least, it probably was twenty years ago.

The marble was cracked, and several pillars had toppled years ago. The gardens were withered, and the roses had turned black with age. Vines had wound their way around the previously grand mansion. There were blank windows, where, according to the glass laying in front of them, were once stained glass windows.

Danny reached for the doorknob, but the door fell in to the ballroom. The stairways, which had wound their way up to the top floor, had fallen in, the gaps in the stairs proof of that. The floor seemed to be an old cracked mosaic of the sun peeking over the hills. In the center, shattering the mosaic was an old crystal chandelier.

"Why would Terri be here?"

"Mom, what's the big deal with this Terri guy? He's just a new guy at our school." Jazz reasoned.

"Oh, he's much more than that." Maddie sat down on a chair and pulled out a photo album. "Terri…before the…'accident'…."

"What accident?"

"He was hit by a car."

"But, mom…people often survive that. What **was** Terri to you?"

"Before the accident, he was my boyfriend."


	3. How He Died

What You See Isn't Always What You Get

Chap.3

"Dad, did you know about this?" Jazz asked. Jack nodded, with certain regret.

"He was this guy I was…jealous of. I kept trying to knock him off his high horse, but he always got away."

"You mean you were like Dash Baxter?"

"I was. Then….one day…."

Danny froze as he saw the scene in front of him change into a street in the summertime. A red haired girl was rollerblading down the sidewalk towards the street, Terri following.

"C'mon, Terri! You're such a slowpoke!" The girl laughed. Terri chuckled, then frowned.

"Don't go so fast, Maddie. You're gonna fall."

"Don't worry about me. The only time I ever fell was when I fell in love with you." Maddie smiled. Terri blushed. Then he paled as he saw Maddie fall in the middle of the street. "Okay, so I'm wrong. A little help?" Maddie held out a hand.

"M….Maddie!" Terri called out. Maddie turned and paled as she saw the car speeding towards her. Terri ran as fast as he could, and pushed Maddie out of the way. Danny felt the impact of the car hitting Terri as he watched.

"T…T-Terri? Terri!" Maddie rushed out to the street from the sprawled position she was in after Terri pushed her out of the way. She shook the boy feverishly. "Terri, get up! Get up, Terri! This isn't funny!" Maddie was on the verge of crying. A police officer stepped out and turned over one of Terri's palms, trying to get a pulse. "Terri's just trying to scare me again. I just know it. He just can't be….he just can't!"

"Miss…I'm sorry, but…he's dead." The officer told Maddie. She shook her head, tears streaming down her face.

"No! Terri can't be dead! He just can't be! Terri, I know you're playing a joke on me again! I just know it! Get up, Terri! Terri!" Maddie had to be led away by her parents.

In the background, staring, horrified, was a translucent image of Terri. His clothes were stained red, and his face was pale. He shook his head, and reached his hands out towards Maddie. He obviously wasn't grasping his death too easily.

"Maddie? Maddie…."The image faded, and Danny was back in the mansion, a very angry Terri in front of him. His clothes were stained red and torn in several places.

"I told you to never come here, Daniel Fenton. Never come here again." He growled, and the house echoed with his voice. Danny took a deep breath. _'Sam's always telling me to stand up for myself. No better time to try it out than now.'_

"No. I want to know why you can't just rest. Mom's happy."

Suddenly, the scene changed to a street, and it was night. Danny didn't realize how long he'd been in the mansion. Glancing about, Danny realized which street they were at.

"Remember this? You saw it." Terri took long strides towards Danny, and Danny couldn't seem to move. "Look, it's my business. And you have no right to question my motives for staying in this world."

"Terri, I just wanna talk!" Danny snapped. Terri's eyes narrowed.

"Sure. Everyone just wants to 'talk' to me. But they just want to exorcise me. I have to keep a promise I made a long time ago!"

"Promise? What promise? Who'd you make it to!" Danny asked. Terri growled in anger.

"None of your damn business!" And that's when Danny saw the car.


	4. Terri's Promise

What You See Isn't Always What You Get

Chap.4

When Danny woke up, he was in his room, hurting all over, but alive besides. Maddie, looking very shaken up, was sitting next to the bed.

"Mom? Hey…I saw Terri." Danny weakly told her.

"Oh, did you now, Honey." She replied, just as feeble, if not more, than him.

"Mom, Terri said he made a promise. A promise to someone a long time ago."

"Promise? Is…is that really why he's still here?" Maddie murmered.

"What do you mean?"

"Danny, a long time ago…."

_"Terri, do you think we'll always be together?" Maddie asked. Terri let a hand toy with the yellow ribbon in her hair. _

_"I don't know. Fate works in mysterious ways, you know, Maddie." _

_"Terri…even if we aren't always together like this, I want you to always be there for me. Even if that means just watching in the background. I want you to be there at my wedding, and I want you to see my kids, and I want you to be there even when I die. Please?" Maddie begged. _

_"But we loved with a love that was more than love…" Terri shut his eyes slowly, smiling on the Edgar Allen Poe quote he'd told Maddie. _

_"Promise me, Terri! To always be there." Maddie pouted. Terri opened his eyes and picked up one of the ends of Maddie's yellow ribbon. "Promise?" She asked again. Terri gently kissed the ribbon tail. _

_"I promise with all my heart." _

"I never knew he…..he meant he was going to keep it forever." Maddie sobbed. Danny's eyes went wide.

_'Terri wants to stay by Mom's side forever. But….he can't stay like that forever!'_ Oblivious to Maddie, Danny slipped out the window. He grunted as he hit the ground. Being hit by a car, even if you survive, has some nasty after affects. Even if you're half ghost.

"Danny!" Sam called, panicked. She was standing on the sidewalk near the very street Terri had been run over. In the middle of the road was Terri. His clothes were tattered, moreso than when Danny had last seen him, and beneath him was a puddle of a thick liquid. Blood….?

"Terri, look, my mom doesn't want you to-" This is as far as Danny got before something slammed him back. Terri's eyes were glowing fiercely.

"I have to keep the promise I made to Maddie. No matter what. I have to keep it."

"Why's he so obsessed with some promise he made to Danny's mom?" Tucker asked. Sam bit her lip, thinking it over.

"Well, I heard that if a person wanted something or wanted to do something before they died, they can't rest til they do that. You know, having unfinished business. So if we get what he promised your mom, Danny, Terri can rest in peace." Sam called to Danny.

"No can do, Sam. He promised to be there for my mom always. To even be there to see her grave." Danny replied. Terri suddenly froze, and a sly smile sneaked onto his face.

"To rest…to see her grave. Thanks for the idea, Daniel." Terri phased down into the street, and the headlights of a car blinded Danny.

"Not again." He sighed. The car screeched to a halt and a door swung open.

"Hey, you're Maddie's son, right?" An elder voice asked. Danny nodded. "Good. If my eyesight hasn't deceived me yet, that was Terri. And unless I'm wrong, which is rare, Maddie's in danger."

"Danger!"


	5. Maddie, My Annabel Lee

What You See Isn't Always What You Get

Chap.5

"Who are you again?" Danny asked the elder man.

"My name is Brett Baxter. You see, young man, I'm Dash's grandfather." The man replied. "I'm afraid your predicament is all my fault. If I had just gotten my brakes fixed before I went out, Terri would still be alive."

"You were the one who ran him over?" Sam wondered from the back seat.

"My brakes were shot; didn't work right. I couldn't stop when I saw that girl. Lucky for her, the boy pushed her out of the way. But…Terri, the boy, died due to the impact. All for his girlfriend."

Danny sighed and reached into his pocket, surprised to find a piece of paper in it. He pulled it out.

"It's a poem. By….Edgar Allen Poe." Danny stared at it. "This wasn't in my pocket before I learned about his promise."

"Maybe Terri put it in your pocket after you got hit." Tucker suggested.

"Read it." Sam suggested as well. Danny unfolded the paper and began to read off of it.

"Annabel Lee. By Edgar Allen Poe."

"Annabel Lee? Sounds like a symbolic poem." Brett replied. "Continue."

_It was many and many a year ago,_

_In a kingdom by the sea_

_That a maiden there lived whom you may know_

_By the name of Annabel Lee_

_And this maiden lived with no other thought_

_Than to love and be loved by me_

_She was a child and I was a child_

_In this kingdom by the sea_

_But we loved with a love that was more than love_

_Me and my Annabel Lee_

_With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven_

_Coveted her and me_

_And this was the reason that, long ago,_

_In this kingdom by the sea,_

_A wind blew out of a cloud by night_

_Chilling my Annabel Lee_

_So that her high-borne kinsman came_

_And bore her away from me_

_To shut her up in a sepulcher_

_In this kingdom by the sea_

_The angels, not half so happy in heaven,_

_Went envying her and me_

_Yes! That is the reason (as all men know,_

_In this kingdom by the sea)_

_That the wind came out of the cloud, chilling_

_And killing my Annabel Lee_

_But our love it was stronger by far than the love_

_Of those who were older than we-_

_Of those who were wiser than we—_

_And neither the angels in heaven_

_Nor the demons under the sea_

_Can ever dissever my soul from the soul_

_Of my beautiful Annabel Lee_

_For the moon never beam without bringing me dreams_

_Of the beautiful Annabel Lee_

_And the stars never rise, but I see the bright eyes_

_Of the beautiful Annabel Lee_

_And so, all the night-tide, I lay down by the side_

_Of my darling, my life and my bride_

_In her sepulcher there by the sea—_

_In her tomb there by the sea_

"Wow. I think…this is how Terri thought of Mom. He knew one of them was going to lose the other, sooner or later."

"I don't think he expected sooner." Sam replied.

"Hey, something's written on the other side!" Danny noticed. He turned the paper over and smiled.

"What's it say?" Tucker asked.

"I'd give everything for you, Maddie, my Annabel Lee."


	6. Remember When?

What You See Isn't Always What You Get

Chap.6

"Annabel Lee…" The call was soft, yet still there. Slowly, Maddie turned to see Terri. "Remember when I'd always call you that?"

Terri's mental picture of Maddie was refreshed now, and he wanted so badly….

"Terri, you're dead. Please just accept it." Maddie begged him. Terri gestured to the mirror.

"Maddie, look! Look!" He called. In the mirror, Maddie saw a young red haired teenaged girl in jeans and a yellow top, a black haired boy hanging over her shoulder, gently kissing the yellow ribbon in her hair. "Don't you want it to be like this again?"

"Terri…."

"What do you mean Mom's in danger! Terri loves her! He's gonna save her from whatever danger that is!" Danny snapped.

"I'm afraid he can't do that, Danny. You see, Terri **is** that danger."

"How?" Sam was curious.

"Terri wants to rest in peace, and also to keep his promise to Maddie to always stay by her side. Apparently, he's figured the only way to do both is to take her with him to the afterlife."

"Which means….?" Tucker rolled his eyes at Brett.

"He's going to try to kill Maddie."

"Kill….? Step on it, Brett! I don't care if you have brake or not now, just get to my house now!"

"Maddie, look." Terri waved about. The house looked like the neighborhood when Terri was alive. "It's the ice cream parlor where we met." They were in the parlor. "Remember? I was working part time as a waiter….and I spilled a milkshake on your dress. We ended up sharing the one I brought to replace that one."

"Yes….we did." Maddie's memory of the present was becoming blurry, being lost to the world around her, the world that was when Terri was alive.

"Remember how we'd always talked about getting married?" Suddenly, Maddie was in a wedding dress, a bouquet in her hand and Terri at the other end of the church carpet.

"Yes…."

"Do you want to make that old dream a new reality?" Terri extended a hand.

"Yes….I….d-"

"**MOM!"** Brett's car crashed through a window, and Danny jumped out. "Mom, don't do it! He's trying to trick you into joining him in the afterlife!"

Maddie's head was clouded, and she hardly heard the voice at all.

"You have to come back! Come back to me…and Dad…and Jazz! But most importantly, Dad!"

Why did she want to go back to Jack? Terri was wiser, smarter, and much nicer than Jack ever was. Terri noticed her, he took care of her, he recognized her achievements. Why would she go back?

"Maddie, don't listen to him. He's just a kid, anyways. Don't you want to relive those moments we'd dreamed of?" Terri asked. Maddie reached out a white gloved hand.

"Mom, no!"

"I…." He hand tried to grasp Terri's ghostly one.

"No, Mom, no!"

"I do."


	7. You May Kiss The Bride

What You See Isn't Always What You Get

Chap.7

The floor disappeared beneath their feet, but they remained floating. Maddie's image faded away, replaced by the image of a teenaged girl, a younger Maddie.

"Mom! Mom, snap out of it!" Danny begged. "Please."

"Maddie!" This time, it was Jack. He burst in and ran right up to Maddie. "Maddie, don't do this. Remember? I was there for you when Terri died, wasn't I? And…Jazz and Danny! They can't grow up without you, you know!"

"Jazz? And…Danny?" Maddie's head was becoming clearer. Terri growled at him.

"Shut up, you worthless sack of potato shit!" He yelled, Jack knocked back by the impact. "Look, she did what she wanted, and she chose me."

"Mom, snap out of it!" Danny feverishly shook Maddie, trying to get a response.

"Danny?"

"Get away from her, half-breed!" Terri knocked Danny back. Maddie's eyes widened in realization.

"Terri! **Ex**-boyfriend or not, you can't treat my son that way!" She snapped. Terri frowned, and took up one of Maddie's hands into his own.

"Maddie…all I ever wanted was to be near you. I loved from the moment I ever saw you in the ice cream parlor. You never saw me, but I saw you. It's been the same for the last twenty six years! I would stand next to you during a test, pat you on the back when you answered one right, but you didn't notice. I walked next to you on your other side when you walked down the aisle for your wedding, trying to hold your other arm. I stood next to your bedside when you had Jazz, and stood beside Jazz and you when Danny came. I helped you find those notes you needed for that invention even just a week ago…and you thought the wind blew them into your hands." Tears were coming to Terri's eyes. Danny looked closer. They were tears, but the tears were made of blood, staining his pale ivory skin.

"Terri…"

"All I ever wanted…was for you to notice me. And you ignored me! You don't know what it's like to be ignored completely for twenty-six long years." He sobbed.

"Terri, I'm sorry. I just…."

A grey haired man in a white robe appeared behind the two a book in front of him and a smile on his face.

"Do you apologize? Because I do." Terri smiled weakly, and Maddie was happy to find that it was the same smile she'd fallen in love with.

"I do."

The old man behind them cackled.

"You may kiss the bride." He cackled.


	8. Terri Rests In Peace At Last

What You See Isn't Always What You Get

Chap.8

Danny gasped as he saw Maddie crumple onto the ground. He rushed forward, and tackled Terri.

"Terri, why are you doing this? Isn't there a way that you don't have to do this!" He begged. Jazz slowly walked up behind Danny, and spoke softly.

"Terri, I know you want to always be with Maddie, but look around you. There are plenty of people here, ready and willing to fight for her." She swallowed hard, choking back a sob. "Why are you so willing to disrupt the happiness of all these people just to get what you want?"

"You'll survive." Terri smiled. Jazz narrowed her eyes at him.

"Mom told me that Terri was a kind boy, one who never put himself first. But the boy I see before me is a selfish one who thought of his own desires before he thought of others'. Look around and reconsider, Terri. If you truly want to make Maddie happy, then why don't you just rest? She will be happier to see you finally at peace with yourself than she is at seeing you in such anguish."

"Maddie…" Terri looked over at Maddie who was finally stirring, and her original image returning. He smiled weakly. "I'm sorry, so sorry, all of you."

"Terri….?" Maddie wondered. Tears were running down Terri's cheeks, but everyone could see that this time, they had a clear crystal color; the color of redemption.

"I'm so sorry, Maddie. I just….I wanted to keep my promise to you forever, and I guess I got a little too caught up. I wanted to rest with you so badly, I….I lost sight of what you might lose. I acted out of character, and my desire blinded me from the truth." He chuckled. "I promised to be there to see your grave, Maddie, and I will. But…I'm going to do it at a safe distance."

"A safe distance?" Danny wondered.

"From Heaven." Terri replied. Clouds opened up and a pillar of light shone down on Terri, and he started to be lifted up. Maddie rushed over, and struggled to hold his hand one last time.

"Terri!"

"Maddie, remember…" Terri softly caressed her hand. "I'll….always love you." And then he was gone. The darkness dispersed instantly, and they were all standing in the Lander Mansion. Maddie swallowed hard, and strode out the door.

"Mom, are you okay?" Danny asked. Maddie turned back to him; he cheeks were glistening with tears, but her eyes were bright with happiness. She nodded and looked up to the sky.

"Of course I am, Danny. Terri's finally resting in peace." She led them out of the house, never to return. As they walked, Danny looked up at the sky, and could've sworn he saw Terri staring down at him. Terri smiled, and waved a hand to Danny. In return, Danny waved back and ran to catch up.

_"Daniel, please….take care of my Annabel Lee."_


	9. Epilogue

What You See Isn't Always What You Get

Epilogue

Danny knelt in front of the grave, and placed a bouquet of flowers in front of it.

"Hey, Terri, I know you might not be able to hear me, but I still feel it has to be said." Danny smiled. "I learned about standing up for what I believe in from you, even if I had to learn it by fighting you."

"Danny, he's up there now. Let's go." Sam urged her friend. Danny wouldn't budge; he simply stood in front of the tombstone, tears running down his cheeks. "Why're you crying, Danny?"

"I don't know. I think…I'm just happy for Terri. He had been waiting for so long to enter those golden gates, and now he's finally gotten his wish."

"He can't hear you."

"Whether he can hear me or not….thank you, Terri. So much. Thanks." Danny smiled sadly and followed Sam out of the graveyard.

A long silence followed, then a ghostly hand picked up one of the golden flowers from the bouquet, and a boy laughed quietly.

"You're welcome, Daniel. It was my pleasure."


End file.
